Hooded carton with reclosure lock

ABSTRACT

A reclosable, paperboard folding carton including a body with a hinged cover having a depending hood enclosing upper marginal areas of the body and including means on the body engageable with means on the cover hood for providing an interlocking connection therebetween upon reclosure of the carton after initial opening.

United States Patent De Lorenzo et al.-

[451 Aug. 1,1972

[54] HOODED CARTON WITH RECLOSURE LOCK [72] Inventors: Richard G. DeLorenzo, Conshohocken; Donald G. Lul'l,

Lansdale, both of Pa.

[73] Assignee: Container Corporation of America,

Chicago, 111.

22 Filed: July 20, 1970 [21] App1.No.: 56,476

[52] 11.8. C1 ..229/5l TC, 229/45 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 5/54 [58] Fieldof Search.229/5l TC, 51 SC, 51 TS, 44 R, 229/45, 44 CB [56] ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS R26,47l 10/1968 Meyers ..229/5l RC 3,125,2803/1964 Henry ..229/5l RC FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 678,604 1/1964Canada ..229/44 R Primary Examiner-Joseph R. Leclair AssistantExaminer-Stephen P. Garbe Attorney-Carpenter, Ostis & Lindberg [57]ABSTRACT A reclosable, paperboard folding carton including a body with ahinged cover having a depending hood enclosing upper marginal areas ofthe body and including means on the body engageable with means on thecover hood for providing an interlocking connection therebetween uponreclosure of the carton after initial opening.

5 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMIB 1 I912 SHEET 1 [IF 2 MGM 1;, m 0,

HOODED CARTON WITH RECLOSURE LOCK This invention relates to foldingpaperboard cartons, and more particularly to the so-called hooded orfliptop style carton wherein the cover, which is hingedly attached tothe body of the carton, includes a hood for enclosing upper marginalareas of the carton body.

The invention is particularly concerned with the provision of a meansfor providing interlocking engagement between the carton and carton bodyafter the carton has been initially opened.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide, in acarton of the type described, simple and economical locking means forthe carton body and cover which does not require any additionalpaperboard than would be required for a conventional hooded carton, ofthe same size and shape, which does not have an interlocking feature.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a carton of thetype described, of a locking arrangement wherein the material used forthe locking device is formed entirely from stock cut from one of thepanels in the carton. r

A more specific object of the invention is to provide, in a carton ofthe type described, a lock strip formed from material of the carton bodyfront wall and divided into a pair of sections, one of which eventuallybecomes part of the carton cover, which are engageable with each otherupon reclosure of the carton to provide interlocking engagementtherebetween.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from anexamination of the following description and drawings, wherein:

' FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a folding carton embodying features ofthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 2- -2 of FIG. 1;I

.FIG. 3 is'a plan view of the blank from which structure of the otherviews may be formed;

the

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view as a portion of the structure illustrated inFIG. 3; and

FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 are views similar to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, respectively,but illustrate a slightly modified form of the invention. i

It will be understood that, for purposes of clarity, certain elementshave been intentionally omitted from certain views where they arebelieved to be illustrated to better advantage in other views.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of theinvention, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 3, it will be seen that thecarton indicated generally at 10, as shown in FIG. 1, may be formed froma unitary blank 12 of foldable paperboard, as shown in FIG. 3.

The carton includes a box-like body 14, open at the top, to which isattached a cover indicated, generally at 16, having a depending hood 18adapted to enclose upper marginal areas of the carton body 14.

Carton body 14 includes a bottom wall 20, a front wall 22, a rear wall24, and a pair of opposed end walls Cover 16 includes a top wall 30hingedly attached at its rear edge along hinge line 32 to the upper edgeof body rear wall 24. The cover also includes a front panel 34 and pairof side panels 36 which are interconnected at the corners of the carton,by side wall panel flaps 38 hinged to the edges of related side wallpanels 36, to form an integral depending hood 18 for enclosing uppermarginal portions of the body front and side walls. Thus, it will benoted that the carton so far described is the standard flip-top orhooded style carton.

The novelty in this carton resides in the provision of the locking meansincluding a lock strip indicated generally at 40 which, as best seen inFIG. 3, is formed entirely from material lying within the periphery ofthe carton body front wall 22. Lock strip 40 includes a first or centralsection 42 detachably secured to the upper edge of carton body frontwall 22 along a transversely extending line of weakness 44 which servesboth as a hinge line and later as a line of separation. The firstsection is separated from the second or end sections 50 by a pair of cutlines 46 which are offset, so that the first and second sections willhave portions in alignment with each other for a reason hereinafterdescribed in the specification.

Second or end sections 50 are hingedly attached to the upper edge ofcarton body front wall 22 by hinge lines 52 which are aligned withweakened line 44 connecting the first section to the carton body frontwall. The sides of each end section are defined by the previouslymentioned cut lines 46 on the inside and other cut lines 54 on theoutside. This carton embodiment is normally shipped to the packer fromthe carton manufacturer in the form of a flat blank which can beerected, filled, and closed by the packer.

The carton is set up in the form of a tray with the body bottom, front,and rear wall end flaps adhesively secured together in overlappedrelationship to form the end walls. After the carton is filled the coveris then folded over to a closed position with the lock strip beingreversed folded so as to lie against the outer surface of the body frontwall beneath the cover hood front wall panel. The flaps and panels ofthe cover are then adhesively interconnected to form the hood which isadhesively secured to the first or center section lock strip of thecarton body.

When the carton is initially opened the lock strip central or firstsection 42, which is adhesively secured to the inside of the cover hoodfront panel 36, becomes detached from the body front wall and thereafterforms an integral part of the carton hood.

It will be noted that on reclosure of the carton the lock strip firstsection 42 presents an upwardly facing abutment edge surface 56 which isengageable with the downwardly facing abutment edge surfaces 58 on the26, which are hingedly interconnected to form a boxlike structure openat the top. It will be noted that end walls 26 may each be formed from aplurality of end flaps 28 hingedly attached to the end edges of thebottom, front, and rear walls and folded and secured in overlappedrelation. I

end or second sections 50 of the lock strip to provide interlockingconnection between the cover and body 'of the carton.

Now turning to FIGS. 5 through 7 of the drawings, it will be seen that astructure similar to the previously described is shown. This cartonfunctions in basically the same manner as the previously describedcarton and contains essentially the same elements. Elements of thisembodiment have been designated by numerals similar to those used forthe first embodiment.-

The primary difference resides in the fact that the second embodiment,shown in FIGS. 5-7, is formed and shipped to the packer as a collapsedtube by the carton manufacturer.

In forming the tube the lock strip 140 is reversed folded against theouter surface of body front wall 122 and adhesively secured to theinside surface of the cover front wall panel 134.

When the packer receives the carton, it is erected to the shape of atube and end loaded, after which the end flaps of the various walls andpanels are glued and folded to erected position as shown in FIG. 5.

Cover side panels 136 may each be provided with a rear comer section 135joined to the remainder of panel 136 by a diagonal weakened line of tear137, so that when the carton is opened, by lifting the cover, sections135 remain adhered to the other end flaps and will become detached fromthe remainder of panels 136.

Also, it will be noted that comer flaps 138 are hinged to front panels134 rather than to side panels 136 as in the case of the previousembodiment. The purpose of this is to accommodate the formation of atube structure as distinguished from the tray structure of the previousembodiment.

Upon opening of the carton the same effect is achieved as in connectionwith the previously described embodiment and the same interlockingfeature is applicable to this embodiment.

It will therefore be understood and appreciated that in each embodimentthere is provided an interlocking feature for a hooded carton withoutusing anymore material for the carton blank than is used in aconventional hooded carton not having an interlocking feature.

We claim:

1. A reclosable, hooded, carton with an integral locking feature, formedfrom a unitary blank of foldable paperboard, comprising in combination:

a. a body having bottom, front, rear, and side walls hingedlyinterconnected to form a box-like structure open at the top;

b. a cover having a top wall hinged at its rear edge to an upper edge ofsaid body rear wall and having depending from its front and side edgesfront and side panels which are interconnected at the corners of thecover to form a hood for enclosing upper marginal areas of the bodyfront and side walls, respectively;

. means for providing interlocking engagement between said cover hoodfront panel and said body front wall, upon reclosure of the carton afterinitial opening, comprising a relative narrow, transversely extendinglock strip formed from stock of an upper marginal portion of said bodyfront wall and reverse folded outwardly and downwardly between said bodyfront wall and said cover hood front panel;

. said lock strip comprising:

i. one section detachably connected at its upper edge to an upper edgeof said body front wall, free from attachment to another section of saidlock strip, and adhesively secured to said cover hood front panel sothat when the cover is inislz smza;e%s"airasmlea ie la of said coverhood front panel;

said one section having spaced end portions aligned with spaced matingportions on said other section and presenting an upwardly facing edgesurface engageable with a downwardly facing edge surface on said othersection to prevent accidental opening of the cover after the cover hasbeen reclosed;

. said body front wall being characterized by the absence of said lockstrip thereon after initial opening but for the presence of the spacedmating portions of said lock strip thereon.

2. A carton according to claim 1, wherein said hood front and sidepanels are connected to each other at the comers of the hood by flapshinged to the side panels and adhesively secured to the front panel.

3. A carton according to claim 1, wherein said hood front and sidepanels are connected to each other at the corners of the hood by flapshinged to the front panel and adhesively secured to the side panels.

4. A carton according to claim 1, wherein said carton is formed as atray with the end walls secured before the tray is filled from the topand the cover is closed.

5. A carton according to claim 1, wherein said carton is formed as atube and the cover is secured to the body front wall before the cartonis filled from the end and the end walls are secured.

1. A reclosable, hooded, carton with an integral locking feature, formedfrom a unitary blank of foldable paperboard, comprising in combination:a. a body having bottom, front, rear, and side walls hingedlyinterconnected to form a box-like structure open at the top; b. a coverhaving a top wall hinged at its rear edge to an upper edge of said bodyrear wall and having depending from its front and side edges front andside panels which are interconnected at the corners of the cover to forma hood for enclosing upper marginal areas of the body front and sidewalls, respectively; c. means for providing interlocking engagementbetween said cover hood front panel and said body front wall, uponreclosure of the carton after initial opening, comprising a relativenarrow, transversely extending lock strip formed from stock of an uppermarginal portion of said body front wall and reverse folded outwardlyand downwardly between said body front wall and said cover hood frontpanel; d. said lock strip comprising: i. one section detachablyconnected at its upper edge to an upper edge of said body front wall,free from attachment to another section of said lock strip, andadhesively secured to said cover hood front panel so that when the coveris initially opened said one section will be detached from said bodyfront wall and will become a part of said cover hood front panel; ii.said one section having spaced end portions aligned with spaced matingportions on said other section and presenting an upwardly facing edgesurface engageable with a downwardly facing edge surface on said othersection to prevent accidental opening of the cover after the cover hasbeen reclosed; e. said body front wall being characterized by theabsence of said lock strip thereon after initial opening but for thepresence of the spaced mating portions of said lock strip thereon.
 2. Acarton according to claim 1, wherein said hood front and side panels areconnected to each other at the corners of the hood by flaps hinged tothe side panels and adhesively secured to the front panel.
 3. A cartonaccording to claim 1, wherein said hood front and side panels areconnected to each other at the corners of the hood by flaps hinged tothe front panel and adhesively secured to the side panels.
 4. A cartonaccording to claim 1, wherein said carton is formed as a tray with theend walls secured before the tray is filled from the top and the coveris closed.
 5. A carton according to claim 1, wherein said carton isformed as a tube and the cover is secured to the body front wall beforethe carton is filled from the end and the end walls are secured.